2021 CA Governor's race: on Principles & Values


Caitlyn Jenner: Conservative on economy; progressive on social issues

I love this country. I'm a patriot. I love this state. The state's done so much for me over the years, and I've watched it crumble right in front of my eyes. And you've got to stand up, you know? And so, I knew it would not be easy. I knew it would be tough. But you know what? California's worth fighting for, and that's what I'm doing.

I have always been on the Republican side, just because I have conservative economic values. You know, the old saying, lower taxes, less regulations, you know, a more friendly business environment, and we don't have that in California. But socially, I've been much more progressive all my life. I get it. People do need help. You know, we need programs. But you cannot have social programs without an economy -- doesn't happen. You just don't have the finances to do it.

Source: Fox News interview: 2021 California Governor recall race May 6, 2021

Caitlyn Jenner: I don't like labels, I'm kind of middle of the road

[On political party]: "We label everybody. I don't like labels. I'm me, OK?" Jenner added. "Just because I have conservative economic philosophy -- that's the only thing that the Republicans are kind of on that I'm on. ... I don't know. Maybe you call me a libertarian. Maybe you call me in the middle. I really don't know because when it comes to social issues, I'm much more progressive, much more liberal. So I'm kind of a middle of the road."

"I didn't even vote," Jenner [said, referring to the 2020 presidential election]. "I didn't see any propositions that I really had one side or the other. And so it was Election Day and I just couldn't get excited about it. And I just wound up going to play golf and I said, 'I'm not doing that.' " Jenner did actually vote by mail in the 2020 elections, but she only voted on the ballot propositions and did not vote in the presidential race or other down ballot races, according to a campaign official.

Source: CNN Politics on 2021 California Governor recall race May 12, 2021

Caitlyn Jenner: OpEd: Jenner a recluse on public policy

Sorry, can't help you much on the best-known GOP aspirant: Caitlyn Jenner. She's a recluse on public policy and has failed to tell us much about what she'd do as governor. "We're running out of water. I am a big advocate of fire protection, OK?" she answered pesky reporters pressing for specifics at a news conference, her first of the campaign. Aides stopped the Q&A after 12 minutes.
Source: Los Angeles Times on 2021 CA recall race Jul 19, 2021

Caitlyn Jenner: Olympics win not because our system better than any other

[On the Olympics]: "I didn't win the gold medal for the United States. I won it for myself. Living in the United States gave me a great opportunity to grow up and do with my life what I wanted, and I went with it. The government wasn't paying me. The Olympic committee didn't help. I did it all on my own. That medal is significant because of what I accomplished. It wasn't because our system is better than any other in the world. . The medal's in my house, not the White House."
Source: Politico.com on 2021 CA recall race Jun 4, 2021

Caitlyn Jenner: My faith played a very big role in what I'm doing

As a Christian, Jenner said she still goes to Church often, believes in God and faith. However, that relationship made her wrestle with her identity. "To me, my faith played a very big role in what I'm doing," she said. As she was making her final decision about transitioning, she had a long conversation with her pastor. "In the end, when I talk about faith, the last hurdle I had to get over to know I was doing the right thing in transitioning was my faith and with God."
Source: E! Online on 2021 CA recall race Apr 26, 2017

Gavin Newsom: Partisan divisions can smash democracy like an antique vase

Speaking from Sacramento, Newsom thanked Californians for rejecting the recall effort. He also addressed the divisions in the country, describing democracy like an "antique vase." "You can drop it and smash it in a million different pieces. And that's what we're capable of doing if we don't stand up to meet the moment and push back," he said.
Source: CNN.com on 2021 CA recall race Sep 15, 2021

John Cox: I'm against corruption in government and in business

Regardless of where it's coming from, I'm against corruption, in our government and in businesses. I'm not a career politician. Unlike our current governor and my opponent, I've spent my entire career creating jobs and helping people to earn a better living. You can count on me to continue fighting in the interest of the people and fighting corruption wherever I see it.
Source: Campaign website JohnCox.com for 2021 CA recall race Feb 15, 2021

Kevin Faulconer: I treat people with dignity and respect even if we disagree

I think I'm known as a Republican who brings people together. I'm a big believer and you're going to have a difference of views and opinions and parties, and that's fine. But I treat people with dignity and respect, even if we disagree on some of the issues. That's the type of approach that I would take as governor. And I think that's the approach that's been lacking right now in Sacramento.
Source: KQED on 2021 CA recall race Feb 14, 2021

Kevin Faulconer: Strive to govern by being as inclusive as possible

You should strive to govern by being as inclusive as possible. You should govern not by partisanship, but by leadership. I've found that Californians care less about the "R" or "D," by a candidate's name, and more about whether you can get the job done. What Californians need right now is a problem solver. It's not about political rhetoric, it's about who can reduce the size of the homeless population, who can protect small businesses and who can keep neighborhoods safe.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2021 CA recall race Mar 24, 2021

Kevin Paffrath: Recall part of a national referendum on Trumpism

Newsom emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party's values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from "Trumpism." Republican talk radio host Larry Elder almost certainly would have replaced Newsom had the recall succeeded. The recall turned on Newsom's approach to the pandemic, including mask and vaccine mandates.
Source: Associated Press on 2021 CA recall race Sep 15, 2021

Kevin Paffrath: YouTube real estate star; politics not a priority

For his interview with CalMatters reporters and editors, the 29-year-old Zoomed in from the same technicolored studio where he's made hundreds of YouTube videos, with more than 400 million views, advising his 1.7 million subscribers how to strike it rich in real estate. He speaks of state-reshaping policies that sit far outside typical political promises. He calls himself a "JFK-style Democrat," but excoriates the sitting governor and party establishment.

Since launching his campaign, he's crashed Newsom's anti-recall campaign events, baited his opponents into debating him with promises of seven-figure charitable contributions, picked a Twitter fight with comedian Stephen Colbert and threatened to sue CNN for failing to acknowledge his campaign. "Politics has never been this high priority for me," he said. "I think things changed after I had my second son and I became more aware of some of the disasters that we're seeing in California."

Source: Cal Matters on 2021 CA recall race Aug 25, 2021

Republican Party: Democrats outvoted GOP in mail-in ballots

[On 2021 CA Recall]: Republicans are starting to fear that Trump's ridiculous allegations are actually hurting their performance in elections. They are especially worried about the damage Trump is doing to mail-in ballot habits of base Republican voters, habits that GOP strategists have spent years building up. Registered Democrats made up a disproportionately high share of ballots returned by mail, while many Republicans appear to have waited for Election Day to vote--if they voted at all.
Source: The Hill on 2021 CA recall race Sep 15, 2021

  • The above quotations are from 2021 California Gubernatorial recall.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Kevin Faulconer on Principles & Values.
  • Click here for more quotes by John Cox on Principles & Values.
Candidates and political leaders on Principles & Values:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 14, 2023